Splitting the state of California into six separate states is being discussed in more and more places as time goes by. Whether or not the discussions are being funded by the man who is proposing the idea is yet to be seen, but there are enough naysayers that I’m going to put my chips on “no” for now.
The folks over at The Economist are firmly in the “hell no” column, mostly because the current desk riders lean quite readily to the left and know that the greater economic freedom would be crushing to their cause.
Walter Russell Meade and the folks at The American Interest disagree with their poo-pooing.
Meanwhile, Ed Driscoll comments on a piece by Tony Senik as to how the middle-class has been abandoned by California, and they in-turn, are getting the hell out.
I really have no opinion either way that doesn’t rest on my curiosity to see how it works out as a social experiment. The fires have been lit and it will likely burn either way.
But we do have some suggested state slogans.
Since when did sensible people live in Marin?
If Republicans were smart, they would offer to take on the full state-employee pension debt if they could have their own state. Liberals are always willing to believe in free money forever, and would be boxed-in. Then, after getting a Republican state, change their state constitution and completely screw the public sector unions.
Put a bird on it?
Return it to Territory status. Since it’s failed in its most basic responsibility as a state (i.e., manage a budget), it should no longer be allowed to sit at the same tale as the adults. Remove their senators and congresscritters from DC, to be replaced by a single non-voting observer. Appoint a territorial governor with authority to dissolve the state government and start over from scratch. Set a minimum duration of not less than seven years for them to sit in “time out” status (long enough to drive the point home, and long enough so they’ll mourn what they’ve pissed away).
“Put a bird on it.” I like that. Expand the idea: Any state that receives any significant federal bailout of its government reverts to territorial status, all politicians having served in that state become ineligible to serve in any national capacity forevermore, as they have proven themselves incapable of such. Less likely than holding them up for public ridicule, but much more effective.